Land Use Appeals

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Appeals

The Gorge Commission hears appeals of decisions made under the land use ordinances for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Five of the Gorge counties administer their own land use ordinances (Multnomah, Hood River, and Wasco counties in Oregon, and Clark and Skamania counties in Washington). The Gorge Commission’s Executive Director administers the Scenic Area land use ordinance for Klickitat County, Washington.

Appeals of decisions made by a county are handled under Commission Rule 350-60. These appeals are “on the record” which means that the Gorge Commission only reviews the decision of the county for error; no new evidence can be considered.

Appeals of decisions made by the Executive Director of the Gorge Commission are handled under Commission Rule 350-70. These appeals are “de novo,” which means that the parties may provide new evidence to prove their cases. In these cases, the Commission makes a decision on the case independent of the Executive Director’s decision. 

 

in re Appeal of Director’s Decision No. C19-0004 by Friends of the Columbia Gorge
Status: Affirmed
Date: 03/09/2020

Decision
Jody Akers, et al. v. Clark County and Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Clark County, COA-C-18-01, COA-C-18-02
Status: Pending
Date:
HSF, LLC, et al. v. Multnomah County, COA-M-19-01
Status: Remanded
Date: 09/16/2019
in re Appeal of Director’s Decision No. C19-0004 by Charles and Valerie Fowler
Status: Remanded
Date:

Decision
Union Pacific Railroad Company v. Wasco County and Friends of the Columbia Gorge, et. al. v. Wasco County, COA-W-16-01 and COA-W-16-02 (consolidated cases)
Status: Affirmed
Date: 09/08/2017

Decision
Tim Heuker, Bernard Heuker, Heuker Properties, Inc. and Agnes Heuker Properties, LLC v. Multnomah Co, COA-M-15-01
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 05/13/2016
Edward and Phyllis Thiemann v. Multnomah County (Brickhaven enforcement matter), COA-M-15-02
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 09/08/2015
GLW Ventures, Inc. v. Skamania County, USDA Forest Service v. Skamania County, COA-S-13-02 and COA-S-13-03 (consolidated cases)
Status: Remanded (consolidated cases) (May 5, 2014, revised May 13,2014)
Date: 05/13/2014

Decision
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Klickitat County (Arndt BLA and Final Plat), COA-K-13-01
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 03/18/2014
Friends of the Columbia Gorge & Columbia Gorge Estates v. CRGC (survey of Arndt property), COA-K-11-02 (March 18, 2014)
Status: Order Accepting Settlement
Date: 03/18/2014

Decision
Karen Easton and David Kuehn v. Wasco County, COA-W-12-01
Status: Voluntary Remand
Date: 02/14/2013

Decision
Multnomah County Rural Fire Protection District v. Multnomah County, COA-M-11-01
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 09/21/2011
Friends of the Columbia Gorge and In Defense of Animals v. Hood River County, COA-H-06-02
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 02/04/2011
Drach, et al. v. Skamania County, COA-S-10-01
Status: Affirmed
Date: 08/24/2010

Decision
Friends of the Columbia Gorge and Columbia Gorge Estates, LLC v. Klickitat County, COA-K-09-03
Status: Remanded (as amended Feb. 22, 2012)
Date: 08/05/2010

Appeal
In re Appeal of May 27, 2008 letter
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 05/26/2010
Friends of the Columbia Gorge et al. v. Skamania County, COA-S-09-02
Status: Dismissed
Date: 02/23/2010
Friends of the Columbia Gorge et al. v. Skamania County, COA-S-09-01
Status: Dismissed
Date: 02/05/2010
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Executive Director, C07-0022-K-G-11
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 02/21/2008
William and Connie Darcy v. Multnomah County, COA-M-06-04
Status: Affirmed
Date: 06/29/2007

Decision
Ronald Reynier v. Skamania County, COA-S-06-03
Status: Affirmed
Date: 06/29/2007

Decision
Geoffrey J. Thompson and Angelo Simione v. Multnomah County, COA-M-06-05
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 04/24/2007
BNSF Railway Co., et al. v. Executive Director, C05-0011-K-G-11
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 04/17/2007
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Executive Director (Hist. Bldg. PA letter), COA-06-01
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 04/03/2006
Executive Director v. Multnomah County and David and Becky Annus, COA-M-05-01
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 06/06/2005
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Executive Director and WA State Department of Fish and Wildlife, C02-0001-K-S-20
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 11/02/2004
Bacus v. Skamania County, COA-S-04-01
Status: Remanded
Date: 08/10/2004

Decision
Johnston v. Executive Director and Friends and of the Columbia Gorge, C01-0006-K-S-11
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 03/08/2003
Executive Director and U.S. Forest Service v. Skamania County, and Bronson and Boaz, COA-S-01-05
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 10/31/2002
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Multnomah County and Heuker, COA-M-02-01
Status: Remanded
Date: 07/09/2002

Decision
Bacus v. Skamania County and Andersen, COA-S-01-04
Status: Remanded
Date: 06/19/2002

Decision
Irish et al. v. Skamania County, COA-S-01-07
Status: Reversed
Date: 05/08/2002

Decision
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Skamania County, and Parsons and Wilson, COA-S-00-05
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 05/01/2002
Messmer v. Multnomah County, COA-M-01-06
Status: Dismissed
Date: 03/19/2002

Decision
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Skamania County and Norvell, COA-S-00-03
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 01/16/2002
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Skamania County and Hyde, COA-S-01-03
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 12/31/2001
Johnson v. Multnomah County, COA-M-01-02
Status: Dismissed
Date: 10/31/2001

Decision
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Clark County and Campbell, COA-C-01-01
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 09/18/2001
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Skamania County [Eagle Ridge], COA-S-99-01
Status: Reversed
Date: 06/22/2001

Decision
Murray v. Executive Director, C98-0010-K-G-11
Status: Dismissed
Date: 05/30/2001

Decision
Haigh and Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Wasco County and Trujillo, COA-W-00-01
Status: Affirmed
Date: 04/16/2001

Decision
Castle and Swann v. Executive Director, C99-0017-K-G-11
Status: Reversed
Date: 02/16/2001

Decision
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Skamania County and Huett, COA-S-00-02
Status: Reversed
Date: 12/20/2000

Decision
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Skamania County and L’Hommedieu, COA-S-00-04
Status: Affirmed
Date: 10/16/2000

Decision
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Skamania County and Hanners, COA-S-99-02
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 03/02/2000
Thompson and Lois Thompson Housing Project v. Multnomah County and Friends of the Columbia Gorge, COA-M-99-03
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 02/29/2000
Heany v. Executive Director and Friends of the Columbia Gorge, C99-0002-K-S-11
Status: Upheld
Date: 02/22/2000

Decision
Clark and Kearny v. Skamania County, COA-S-99-04
Status: Affirmed
Date: 02/22/2000

Decision
Crown Point Country Historical Society v. Multnomah County and Trust for Public Lands, COA-M-99-07
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 01/07/2000
Reynier v. Skamania County and Friends of the Columbia Gorge, COA-S-98-01 and COA S-98-02 (consolidated cases)
Status: Affirmed
Date: 12/10/1999

Decision
Murray v. Wasco County and Falcon Cable TV, COA-W-98-03
Status: Affirmed
Date: 10/05/1999

Decision
Crawford v. Executive Director, C97-0019-K-G-12
Status: Dismissed
Date: 10/15/1998
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Skamania County and Carell, COA-S-96-03
Status: Reversed
Date: 06/02/1998

Decision
Reinhart et al. v. Jonathan Doherty, C95-0055-C-G-11
Status: Dismissed
Date: 12/15/1997
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Skamania County (Spiegl), COA-S-96-02
Status: Reversed and Remanded
Date: 07/24/1997

Decision
Woodall v. Skamania County, and Bassett and Peyton, COA-S-96-01
Status: Reversed and Remanded
Date: 01/07/1997

Decision
Windle v. Jonathan Doherty, C96-0009-H-G-11
Status: Remanded
Date: 12/10/1996

Decision
Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Skamania County and Mills, COA-S-95-02
Status: Reversed
Date: 06/27/1996

Decision
Rockwell v. Jonathan Doherty, C94-0078-K-G-11
Status: Dismissed
Date: 05/02/1996
Williams and Friends of the Columbia Gorge v. Executive Director, C95-0015-K-G-11
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 12/06/1995
Friends of the Columbia Gorge and Kelly v. Skamania County and Nature Friends Northwest, COA-S-95-01
Status: Reversed
Date: 11/16/1995

Decision
Haigh v. Executive Director (Czernieki), C94-0041-W-G-11
Status: Remanded
Date: 04/12/1995

Decision
Sexton v. Jonathon Doherty, C94-0068-K-G-11
Status: Upheld
Date: 03/16/1995

Decision
Kuhlman v. Skamania County and Friends of the Columbia Gorge, COA-S-94-01
Status: Affirmed
Date: 03/14/1995

Decision
Hitchman v. Executive Director, C94-0022-K-G-11
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 12/07/1994
Tenneson v. Executive Director, C94-0029-W-G-18
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 11/29/1994
Laurelton v. Executive Director, C94-0057-H-G-11
Status: Withdrawn
Date: 11/11/1994
Matter of Eagle I Wind Partners, Inc. of the Decision by the Director to Reject Its Application
Status: Upheld
Date: 04/18/1994

Decision